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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 TOKYO 004343 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 08/02/06 
 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) FNN poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi 
race, Yasukuni homage, North Korea's missile launches, GSDF 
deployment in Iraq, US beef 
 
(2) 2006 Defense White Paper alarmed at modernization of Chinese 
military, Intention behind intelligence-gathering analyzed 
 
(3) Tanigaki clearly would recognize use of right of collective 
self-defense, premised on constitutional reform 
 
(4) Izokukai (Bereaved Families Association) to consider propriety 
of dis-enshrinement of Class-A war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine 
 
(5) Regulatory reform proposals have few showcases: Chairman 
Miyauchi suffering setback due to undue resentment from bureaucrats 
 
(6) Bush and Koizumi -- the fate of the strengthened alliance (Part 
2 -- conclusion): Enhanced bonds; Japan plays a part in US strategy 
 
(7) Yoshinori Katori becomes ambassador to Israel 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) FNN poll on Koizumi cabinet, political parties, post-Koizumi 
race, Yasukuni homage, North Korea's missile launches, GSDF 
deployment in Iraq, US beef 
 
SANKEI (Page 5) (Full) 
August 1, 2006 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in%age, rounded off.) 
 
Q: Do you support the Koizumi cabinet? 
 
Yes                                            43.2       (42.5) 
No                                             40.4       (40.8) 
Don't know (D/K) + Can't say which (CSW)       16.4       (16.8) 
 
Q: Which political party do you support? 
 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)                 40.3       (34.9) 
Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto)    19.1       (19.9) 
New Komeito (NK)                                4.0        (3.1) 
Japanese Communist Party (JCP)                  2.8        (2.5) 
Social Democratic Party (SDP or Shaminto)       1.7        (1.7) 
People's New Party (PNP or Kokumin Shinto)      0.2        (0.2) 
New Party Nippon (NPN or Shinto Nippon)         0.1        (0.1) 
New Party Daichi (NPD or Shinto Daichi)         0.1        (0.0) 
Other answers (O/A)                             0.9        (0.8) 
None                                           28.5       (33.6) 
D/K + Can't say (C/S)                           2.5        (3.5) 
 
Q: Who do you think is most appropriate for post-Koizumi 
leadership? 
 
Taro Aso               5.6        (3.9) 
Shinzo Abe            45.6       (44.4) 
Sadakazu Tanigaki      9.3        (2.1) 
Yasuo Fukuda           9.0       (19.1) 
Taro Kono              1.3        (1.0) 
 
TOKYO 00004343  002 OF 009 
 
 
Fukushiro Nukaga       0.2        (---) 
Kunio Hatoyama         1.0        (1.3) 
Taku Yamasaki          0.6        (0.2) 
Kaoru Yosano           0.7        (0.6) 
O/A                   11.2       (13.0) 
D/K+C/S               15.8       (14.5) 
 
Q: What do you think is the most important factor for post-Koizumi 
leadership? 
 
Personality       12.7 
Policy            43.9 
Leadership        25.7 
Age, career        4.4 
Looks              1.2 
O/A                8.1 
D/K+C/S            4.1 
 
Q: What do you think will be the primary point at issue in the 
post-Koizumi race? 
 
Foreign policy, national security            18.8       (16.6) 
Economic disparities                         16.5       (14.5) 
Economic policy                              14.2       (13.0) 
Administrative, fiscal reforms                9.9        (9.9) 
Pension, other social security systems       25.0       (28.7) 
Education, low birthrate                      8.3       (10.5) 
O/A                                           4.3        (3.3) 
D/K+C/S                                       3.3        (3.6) 
 
Q: Who do you think is appropriate for prime minister between Abe, 
who is said to be the most likely post-Koizumi candidate, and DPJ 
President Ichiro Ozawa? 
 
Abe           58.1       (46.9) 
Ozawa         25.7       (17.9) 
D/K+CSW       16.3        (---) 
 
Q: Do you think former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda should 
have run in the LDP presidential election? 
 
Yes           43.0 
No            42.2 
D/K+CSW       14.9 
 
Q: Are you interested in the LDP presidential election? 
 
Very interested             37.8 
Somewhat interested         39.3 
Not very interested         14.7 
Not interested at all        6.6 
D/K+C/S                      1.7 
 
Q: Do you think the next prime minister should pay homage at 
Yasukuni Shrine? 
 
Yes           22.9       (30.7) 
No            57.0       (45.7) 
D/K+CSW       20.2       (23.6) 
 
Q: Do you think Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi should pay homage 
at Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15 this year? 
 
 
TOKYO 00004343  003 OF 009 
 
 
Yes           26.9       (32.2) 
No            55.7       (47.7) 
D/K+CSW       17.5       (20.1) 
 
Q: Would you like the so-called Yasukuni issue to become a point of 
contention in electing the post-Koizumi leader? 
 
Yes           22.7 
No            60.1 
D/K+CSW       17.3 
 
Q: Do you think it better to separate the Class-A war criminals from 
those enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine? 
 
Yes             58.5 
No              25.9 
D/K+CSW         15.7 
 
 
Q: The Japanese government decided to take economic sanctions 
against North Korea over its recent firing of missiles and also 
initiated the United Nations Security Council's resolution. What do 
you think about these actions? 
 
Fully appreciate                              26.9 
Even stricter measures should be taken        63.4 
Actions are too strict                         3.2 
D/K+C/S                                        6.6 
 
Q: The Ground Self-Defense Force has completed its 
two-and-a-half-year mission in Iraq, where the GSDF assisted that 
country with its reconstruction. Do you appreciate this GSDF 
mission? 
 
Yes           58.8 
No            30.4 
D/K+CSW       10.9 
 
Q: The government has decided to resume US beef imports. Would you 
like to eat US beef? 
 
Yes                            13.2 
Wait and see for a while       23.3 
No                             61.3 
D/K+C/S                         2.3 
 
(Note) Parentheses denote the results of the last survey conducted 
July 1-2. 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted by Fuji News Network 
(FNN) on July 29-30 over the telephone on a computer-aided random 
digit dialing (RDD) basis. For the survey, a total of 2,000 persons 
were sampled from among males and females, aged 20 and over, across 
the nation. 
 
(2) 2006 Defense White Paper alarmed at modernization of Chinese 
military, Intention behind intelligence-gathering analyzed 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Abridged) 
August 2, 2006 
 
The cabinet yesterday approved the 2006 Defense of Japan, which is 
commonly called the defense white paper, as presented by Defense 
 
TOKYO 00004343  004 OF 009 
 
 
Agency Director-General Fukushiro Nukaga. The white paper expressed 
concern over China's growing military spending and the Chinese Air 
Force's intelligence-gathering activities in waters near Japan. The 
paper also analyzed not only the Chinese military's capability but 
also Beijing's intent behind it, describing the Chinese Navy's 
vigorous activities in the East China Sea as an attempt to secure 
marine interests. 
 
The paper explained that China's defense spending has grown 13-fold 
nominally over the last 18 years, projecting that it will greatly 
surpass Japan's spending in 2008 on the assumption that it grows 15% 
annually. The number of naval vessels has also increased from 750 to 
780 and that of combat aircraft from 2,390 to 3,530. China is also 
actively developing ballistic missiles, including those capable of 
carrying nuclear weapons. 
 
During his trip to the United States late last year, then Minshuto 
(Democratic Party of Japan) President Seiji Maehara described 
China's military buildup as a real threat. In January, the 
government released a statement saying that China did not have any 
intent to invade Japan. 
 
But the white paper touched on Beijing's intent, indicating that the 
Chinese Navy's objective was to acquire, maintain, and protect 
oceanic interests. The paper also concluded that the Chinese Air 
Force was engaged in intelligence gathering against Japan, providing 
charts showing the Air Self-Defense Force's growing scrambles 
against Chinese aircraft. 
 
"North Korea is expected to further pursue long-range missiles, 
including Taepodong-2 derived missiles," the paper indicated in 
connection with the ballistic missiles launched by Pyongyang on July 
¶5. 
 
Regarding US military realignment, the paper carried a statement by 
Nukaga, who said: "The implementation of Japan-US agreements is 
necessary not only for the two counties but also for the peace and 
stability of the Asia-Pacific region. We must implement them at all 
cost." 
 
(3) Tanigaki clearly would recognize use of right of collective 
self-defense, premised on constitutional reform 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
August 2, 2006 
 
Minister of Finance Tanigaki, who is a candidate in the upcoming 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election, was asked 
yesterday in the Diet by reporters about Japan's right to use 
collective self-defense. He gave this reply: "We need to recognize 
(the use) of the right of collective self-defense. The most orthodox 
way of approaching it would be to go through the proper procedures 
to amend the Constitution while building a national consensus." 
Although until now, he had never clarified his view, he indicated 
that he thought the use of the right of collective self-defense 
should be allowed by amending the Constitution. 
 
Tanigaki, who hails originally from the Kochikai, a conservative 
mainstream faction that was cautious about amending the 
Constitution, had until recently constrained his remarks about the 
right of collective self-defense and amending the Constitution. 
However, since he has been named as a contender in the LDP 
presidential race, he has come out with a bolder stance on 
 
TOKYO 00004343  005 OF 009 
 
 
constitutional amendment, and shown a completely different side of 
himself than the previous one of being pro-China and dovish -- 
ostensibly in order to expand support for his campaign. He seems to 
be aiming at stemming the flow of support going to Chief Cabinet 
Secretary Abe, who is a member of the constitutional reform group. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
A senior official in Tanigaki's faction stated: "If we don't allow 
the use of the right of collective self-defense, it will be 
impossible for Japan to make international contributions and the 
like. It is too risky to allow the use of the right just by 
reinterpreting the Constitution." He backed up Tanigaki's 
statement. 
 
(4) Izokukai (Bereaved Families Association) to consider propriety 
of dis-enshrinement of Class-A war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine 
 
MAINICHI (Top play) (Excerpt) 
Evening, August 2, 2006 
 
The Nippon Izokukai (Japan Association of Bereaved Families of the 
War Dead) (chaired by Makoto Koga, former secretary general of the 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)) today decided to set up a study 
group to consider the propriety of separating the souls (bunshi) of 
the Class-A war criminals enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine from the war 
dead.  Koga will present the proposal formally this afternoon to a 
meeting of vice chairmen, who are expected to accept it. Although 
Yasukuni Shrine takes the position that once enshrined, souls cannot 
be separated off, if the Izokukai, as the shrine's largest support 
organization, starts to look into un-enshrinement, the shrine will 
come under pressure to respond. However, since the Izokukai is also 
a major support group of the LDP, some lawmakers are alarmed that 
the issue of separating the Class-A war criminals from Yasukuni 
could become a campaign issue in the LDP presidential race, and 
there is a possibility of the timeframe for setting up the panel and 
starting its study being put off until after the LDP election. 
 
(5) Regulatory reform proposals have few showcases: Chairman 
Miyauchi suffering setback due to undue resentment from bureaucrats 
 
ASAHI (Page 4) (Excerpts) 
August 1, 2006 
 
The government's Regulatory Reform and Privatization Promotion 
Council (RRPPC = chaired by Yoshihiko Miyauchi, chairman of Orix) on 
July 31 submitted to Prime Minister Koizumi a report, which will be 
the last package of deregulatory proposals for the Koizumi 
administration. The panel intends to speed up the reform drive by 
frontloading the timeline for the submission of the report. The 
panel has suffered a setback, though, because of Chairman Miyauchi's 
connection with the insider-trading scandal-ridden Murakami Fund 
coming under fire. Reflecting this incident, the report has few 
showcases. As the panel's relationship of trust with the Prime 
Minister's Official Residence (Kantei), the source of its clout, has 
declined, long-standing complaints over the reforms introduced by 
the panel are being voiced at the Diet and government offices of 
Kasumigaseki. The situation will likely affect discussions on a 
panel that will succeed the RRPPC, when the post-Koizumi 
administration is launched. 
 
The interim report submitted by the panel had attached to it 22 
separate sheets carrying oppositions raised by various government 
agencies. They reportedly opposed the proposals incorporated in the 
report more strongly than in usual years. 
 
TOKYO 00004343  006 OF 009 
 
 
 
The Local Government Law sets the establishment of education board. 
In an effort to reform the education board system, the panel tried 
to eliminate this regulation, but in the end, gave up, aftermeeting 
strong opposition from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, 
Science and Technology (MEXT). The report did not include the 
agricultural area, also strongly opposed, not even mentioning it in 
the table of contents. 
 
That is not all. A major miscalculation for Miyauchi was that his 
deep connections with Yoshiaki Murakami, president of the Murakami 
Fund, who was arrested on suspicion of violating the Securities and 
Exchange Law for insider trading, was made an issue in connection 
with the issue of Bank of Japan Governor Toshihiko Fukui's 
investment activities. This has sparked an argument blaming 
regulatory reforms for being harmful. 
 
Even so, the panel insisted on submitting a report while Koizumi is 
still in office. That is why it has submitted an interim report, 
instead of submitting only one report a year at year's end. It 
wanted to make a public appeal during the Koizumi administration, 
which backed the panel's activities, that its reform initiative has 
been completed. 
 
However, when Miyauchi tried to schedule a date to hand over the 
report to Koizumi, a secretary to the prime minister on July 24 
turned down the request, telling the panel's administrative office, 
"Since the chairman is involved in such an incident, we cannot let 
him meet with the prime minister." The panel had intended to have 
the report adopted at a cabinet meeting, but such a procedure has 
been postponed until year's end, when a final report is to be 
submitted. 
 
Outline of interim report 
 
The following is the outline of the interim report adopted by the 
RRPPC. 
 
Broadcasting and communications 
 
Of three NHK channels for satellite broadcasting waves, the use of 
two channels with the exception of one reserved for the use of 
eliminating bad reception should be suspended and privatized 
immediately. In order to strengthen the base of the management of 
commercial TV companies, a restriction on their controlling local 
stations operating in different areas or controlling a key station 
and a local station should be further eased. 
 
Education 
 
Transferring authority of municipal education boards to the chiefs 
of special zones for structural reform. Launching efforts to look 
into the possibility of abolishing an obligation to set up education 
boards. 
 
Child-care 
 
Introducing a system that allows users to opt for licensed day 
nurseries. Abolishing a system of allocating subsidies to day 
nurseries and instead adopting a system of directly allocating 
allowances to each household. Promoting efforts to correct gaps with 
unlicensed facilities. 
 
 
TOKYO 00004343  007 OF 009 
 
 
Guest workers 
 
Guest workers are now allowed in 27 highly specialized areas. 
Foreign social workers and nursing-care workers should also be 
accepted. 
 
Financial services 
 
The Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission Utilizing should 
use its recommendation and prosecution functions more actively. The 
surcharge system should be used more intensively. 
 
Basic rules 
 
Promoting the rationalization of the central government's excessive 
involvement in local governments and regulations that differ 
according to local governments. 
 
(6) Bush and Koizumi -- the fate of the strengthened alliance (Part 
2 -- conclusion): Enhanced bonds; Japan plays a part in US strategy 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 2) (Slightly abridged) 
August 1, 2006 
 
Yoichi Toyoda 
 
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had long cherished the dream of 
visiting Elvis Presley's Graceland. On June 30, Koizumi, along with 
President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, visited the home in 
Memphis, Tennessee. He was excited, crooning Elvis' songs in front 
of Presley's ex-wife and daughter, even imitating Elvis' moves. 
 
On the way back from Graceland aboard the presidential vehicle 
headed to a luncheon site, Bush told Koizumi, who was still filled 
with excitement: "How about making a stop at the National Civil 
Rights Museum?" 
 
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of the US civil 
rights movement, was killed at Memphis' Lorraine Motel. The motel is 
now a museum. 
 
Bush suggested a visit to the museum for two reasons. 
 
One: a campaign strategy. By highlighting his administration's 
emphasis on human rights, Bush wants to get broad support among 
Blacks critical of the Republican Party and to roll back in the 
mid-year election in November, in which he is at present expected to 
have an uphill battle. 
 
On June 20, Bush attended the annual meeting of the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for the 
first time since taking office as president in 2001. In the meeting, 
referring to his recent visit to the museum with Koizumi, Bush asked 
for support for the Republican Party. He said: "The Republican Party 
and African-Americans have long ignored each other. I want to change 
this relationship." 
 
Two: justification of his human rights diplomacy. 
 
Bush made a preemptive attack on Iraq to topple the Hussein regime 
in March 2003, citing the need to dismantle weapons of mass 
destruction, which he then thought were stored in Iraq, and liberate 
the Iraqi people from dictatorship. 
 
TOKYO 00004343  008 OF 009 
 
 
 
Afterwards, even though a full-fledged government has since been 
established in Iraq, terrorist attacks by anti-US armed militias 
have continued, and the death toll of US soldiers since the war 
started now tops 2,500. Bush has seen his approval ratings dive to 
the 30% level. 
 
Presumably, Bush wanted to calm down calls in the US for a pullout 
from Iraq by displaying his ally, Koizumi, coming around to his 
human rights-emphasized position. 
 
The human rights diplomacy by the Bush administration is also part 
of the global strategy by the neoconservatives, including Vice 
President Cheney, whose goal is to proliferate so-called American 
values, such as democracy, human rights, and the market economy, 
backed by America's overwhelming power, including military 
strength. 
 
This strategy is reflected in the Japan-US alliance. 
 
After the Japan-US summit in June, a statement titled "The Japan-US 
Alliance of the 21st Century) was released to sum up the 
Bush-Koizumi relationship. The statement says: "The two countries 
stand together not only against mutual threat but also for the 
advancement of core universal values such as freedom, human dignity 
and human rights, democracy, market economy, and rule of law." 
 
Those values are described in the statement as something "deeply 
rooted in the long historic traditions of both countries." But 
undeniably, they take their origin from the US. 
 
Japan and the US have enhanced the alliance under the honeymoon 
between Bush and Koizumi. But the more the bonds between the two 
countries are strengthened, the more Japan will be forced to play a 
part in America's global strategy. 
 
(7) Yoshinori Katori becomes ambassador to Israel 
 
SANKEI (Page 2) (Full) 
August 2, 2006 
 
The government decided yesterday in a Cabinet meeting to appoint a 
number of ambassadors, including the appointment of the Foreign 
Ministry's press secretary Yoshinori Katori as ambassador to Israel. 
Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Shinichi Kitaoka, who had 
been picked from the private sector, has stepped down from his post. 
Takahiro Shinyo, previously director general of the Global Issues 
Department, was picked as deputy permanent representative to the UN. 
Those appointments were formally announced as of Aug. 1. 
 
Ambassador to Brunei Itsuo Hashimoto: Left the University of Tokyo 
in mid-course; joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 
1971; served as managing director of the Council of Local 
Authorities for International Relations since September 2004, after 
having served in such posts as consul general in Shanghai and 
ambassador to Laos; age 58; Fukushima Prefecture. 
 
Ambassador to Greece Takanori Kitamura: Left Keio University 
graduate school in mid-course; entered MOFA in 1972; served as 
consul general in Hong Kong since March 2004; after serving as 
deputy director of the Center for the Promotion of Disarmament and 
Non-Proliferation of the Japan Institute for International Affairs 
and other posts; age 59; Saga Prefecture. 
 
TOKYO 00004343  009 OF 009 
 
 
 
Ambassador to UNESCO Seiichi Kondo: Left the University of Tokyo 
graduate school; entered MOFA in 1972; deputy secretary general of 
the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development since 
August 2005; after serving as director general of the Public 
Diplomacy Department; age 60; Kanagawa Prefecture. 
 
Ambassador to UN Takahiro Shinyo: Graduated from Osaka University; 
entered MOFA in 1972; served as director general of the Global 
Issues Department since January 2005, after serving in such posts as 
deputy director general of the European Affairs Bureau and consul 
general in D|sseldorf; age 56; Kanagawa Prefecture. 
 
Ambassador to Denmark Masaki Okada: Graduated from Kyoto University; 
joined MOFA in 1973; served as director general of the Public 
Diplomacy Department since August 2005, after serving in such posts 
as chief of protocol and deputy director general of the Public 
Diplomacy Department; age 56; Chiba Prefecture. 
 
Ambassador to Israel Yoshinori Katori: Graduated from Hitotsubashi 
University; entered MOFA in 1973; served as the ministry's press 
secretary since August 2005, after serving in such posts as minister 
 
SIPDIS 
to South Korea, assistant vice minister, and director general of the 
Consular Affairs Bureau; age 56; Tokyo. 
 
Ambassador to Spain Motohide Yoshikawa: Graduated from International 
Christian University; entered MOFA 1974; served as director general 
of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau since August 2004, 
after assuming such posts as ambassador to the UN and deputy 
director general of the Economic Cooperation Bureau; age 55; Nara 
Prefecture. 
 
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China Shinichi 
Nishimiya: Graduated from the University of Tokyo; entered MOFA in 
1976; served as minister-counselor to China since August 2005, after 
serving as director of the Policy Coordination Division and deputy 
director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau; age 54; 
Tokyo. 
 
MOFA also named as of Aug. 1 Shigekazu Sato, previously director 
general of the Economic Cooperation Bureau, as consul general in 
Hong Kong, and Shinsuke Sugiyama, previously deputy director general 
of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, as acting director 
general of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau. 
 
SCHIEFFER